STATUS OF RURAL WOMEN IN FAMILY AND SOCIETY

CHAPTER THREE

STATUS OF RURAL WOMEN IN FAMILY AND SOCIETY.

3.1 Introduction

Women’s equality in power sharing and active participation in decision making in family and social process at all levels will be ensured for the achievement of the goals of empowerment. Human being also a social being a society is totally incomplete without our women group. Now-a-days women are engaged themselves in various social work like as education, health, nutrition, marriage , social function etc. they contribute their Knowledge, power, labour, time and money for these activities. They perform their duties in family as well as in society progressively. They participate in social forestry, dairy development and other occupations allied to agriculture and deposited money for various social welfare, which are a great sacrifice of women to the society. They work for the neglecting women, poor women and held their hand as a best friend and help them to build up their rights and opinion to the society.  So, now women are not only family member but also a social being and a powerful part of a society.

3.2. Index of social status of women in the context of Bangladesh.

Social status of women can be measured by women’s educational and occupational status, monthly income and decision making condition etc. in Bangladesh overall women status are not so established. But it’s level is increasing day by day. There are some index of social status of women in the context of Bangladesh.

Ø      Education

Ø      Occupation

Ø      Monthly income etc.

3.2.1 Education

Education is the backbone of a nation. To established women status and power in society, there is no option without education. The educational status of women in Bangladesh are given below.

Table: 3.1 Educational status of women in Bangladesh.

Educational status	Percentage
Illiterate	10.8
Primary	38.4
Secondary	28.2
Higher secondary	12
Higher education	9.4

Source: BIDS (2005)

3.2.2 Occupational status and average monthly income of women in Bangladesh.

The overall feature of occupation and monthly income of women in Bangladesh are given blow.  

Table 3.2 Average monthy wages in formal secot (Without industry)

Sector	Monthly wasges (Tk)		Men: women
	Men	Women
School	4090	2600	0.64
College/ Unvivesity	5459	5054	0.93
Ministry	5414	2667	0.46
Bank/Bima/corparation	7393	4018	0.44
Hospital/ Clinic	7766	2063	0.27
Judgement	8777	4600	0.52
Police	3054	2196	0.72
Private frim	8206	2704	0.33
Others	2743	1416	0.52
All sector	5762	2992	0.52

Source: Dr. Pratime Paul majamder, “Gender Siscrimination in Bangladesh Labour Makret” Gender equality in Bangladesh: Still a long way to Go, News Network, Dhaka, 2003, p.116 p. 205,

Table 3.3 Average monthely wages in informal secotor

Sector	Monthly wasges (Tk)		Men: women
	Men	Women
Hose Tutor	4060	1600	0.36
Shop	4045	2250	0.56
Small business	7446	2250	0.30
Unskilled labour	2818	825	0.29
Skilled labour	2973	-	-
Handicrafts	3585	1924	0.54
Hawker	2049	1360	0.66
House Service	2127	672	0.32
Others	4647	1220	0.26
All sector	5302	1538	0.29

Source: Dr. Pratime Paul majamder, “Gender Siscrimination in Bangladesh Labour Makret” Gender equality in Bangladesh: Still a long way to Go, News Network, Dhaka, 2003, p.116 p. 205,

3.3 Category of soical status of women in study area

In Study are social status of women are not so developed but it is increasing day by day. The category of soical status of women in study area education, Occupation, income and decision making in family.

3.3.1 Educational Status of the Respondents of the study area

Education is the most important fundamental right for a women equal access to education for women and girls will be ensured. It climate discrimination, universalize education, eradicate illiteracy, create a gender sensitive educational system, increase enrolment and retention rates of girls and improve the quality of education to facilitate life long learning as well as development of occupation/vocation /technical skills by women. But educational facility is not so adequate here. There are illiterate, semi-illiterate and literate respondents as the aspect of given information.

Table 3.4 Educational status of the respondent

Education	Frequency	Percentage
Illiterate	37	26.42
Primary	50	35.71
S.S.C	30	21.43
H.S.C	10	7.14
Hons	5	3.57
Masters	8	5.71

         Source: Field survey 2010.

In the field survey it is observed that, 36 % are primary passed, 21 % are S.S.C, 7 % are H.S.C, 27 % are Illiterate. So, reducing the gender gap in secondary and higher education would be a focus area. This area will be developed in many ways through education of women. It is positive sign there that, the rate of illiteracy is not so high and educational status gradually in creasing here

3.3.2 Occupational condition of the respondents of the study area

Since women comprise the majority of the population below the poverty line and are very often in situations of extreme poverty, given the harsh realities of intra-household and social discrimination, macro economic policies and poverty eradication programmes will specially address the needs and problems of such women.

Table: 3.5 Occupational status of the respondent

Occupation	Frequency	Percentage
Services	7	5
Student	18.2	13
House wife	45.4	32
Agriculture	14	10
Labor	25.2	18
Business	30	22

Source: Field survey 2010.

It is found that housewife are 30 %, some are small enterprise holder (22 %), 18 % are labour and 13 % are students, 8% are in agriculture. Several steps will be taken for mobilization of poor women and convergence of services, By social options, along with necessary support measures to enhance their capabilities.

3.3.3  Monthly income and support services

The provision of support services for women, like child care facilities, including crèches at work places and educational institutions, homes for the aged and the disabled will be expanded and improved to create an enabling environment and to ensure their full cooperation in social, political and economic life. Women friendly personnel policies will also be drawn up to encourage women to participate effectively in the developmental process.

Table 3.6 Monthly income and support service

Monthly income	Frequency	Percentage
0-500	62	44.28
501-1000	20	14.28
1001-1500	14	10
1501-2000	15	10.71
2001-2500	0	0
2501-3000	10	7.14
3000+	19	13.57

Source: Field survey 2010.

It is observed that the important role played by women in food processing, child bearing and agro-industry has been crucial to the development of these sectors. There income ranges (0-500) Tk. are of 44 %, (500-1000) Tk. are of 15 % and 3000+ are of 14 %. They would be giver comprehensive support in terms of labour legislation, social security and other support services to participate in various industrial sectors.

3.3.4 Decision making in family

 In Bangladesh major decision is made by men, mainly by the head of the family like as father, husband, elder brother etc. In this case women have a very little chance to keep their opinion in most of the rural family.

Table 3.7 Decision making in family

Opinion of the respondent	Frequency	percentage
Yes	38	24.75
No	102	76.15

     Source: Field survey-2010

Here, In Kalidaha Union, women are not so develop to making their own decision. But in some family women can participate in major family discussion. Their opinions about any issue of their family have been taken under consideration. But the rate of these scopes is only 24.74 % here, which should be developed.

My observation and out come of this will be a shower or indicator in the way of development of rural women right in decision making.

According to, K. Mammen, C. Paxson – The journal of Economic perspectives, 2000- “All measures will be access to and full participation in decision making bodies at every level, including the legislative, executive, judicial, corporate, statutory bodies, as also the advisory commissions, committees, Boards, trusts etc. women friendly personnel policies will be drawn up to encourage women to participate effectively in the developmental process”.

3.4 Conclusion:

The  category of social status of women in the study area is not so different from whole country. Here it is found tat, in education sector women of primary passed are 38.4% and in study area is 35.71%, S.S.C passed are 28.2% in Bd.  And here is 21.43%,  H.S.C and higher education is 12% and 9.4% in  BD and 7.14% and 8% in study area respectively which showed us that our women are getting educated at a increasing rate and their social status are increasing day bay, but there lackings should be improved in all levels of education in the study area. In BD, women are occupated in various sector live, govt. office private frim, bank, police department, hospital, small business etc. but in study are rarely occupated in some sector, from which almost 32% are house wife 22% are small business holder and 18% are labor. There monthly income is also low than that of them. In BD. Women’s monthly income level is above 600 Tk. To nearly 6000 Tk. which are less than men. But in study area 44.28% are earned monthly only 500 Tk. 14.28% are (500-1000) Tk., 10.71% are (1500-2000) Tk., and only 13.57% are 3000 Tk. which should be developed to be strong women financially in study area.